


RUN

by usernamewhatamidoing



Series: Inktober [9]
Category: TWICE (Band)
Genre: F/F, angst ig, open endings ftw
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-16
Updated: 2021-01-16
Packaged: 2021-03-14 14:00:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,166
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28796556
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/usernamewhatamidoing/pseuds/usernamewhatamidoing
Summary: (Warm and familiar, Jihyo feels herself sinking fast.)Or: Jihyo lives in a bedroom community and Mina’s not sure what to make of her new patron.
Relationships: Myoui Mina/Park Jisoo | Jihyo
Series: Inktober [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/853832
Comments: 1
Kudos: 26





	RUN

**Author's Note:**

> Me? Updating? I know, I even surprised myself. Fair warning this should probably be categorized as angst but open endings ftw! Also, happy new year! Thanks so much to those who have continued reading this series I really have enjoyed making it so far :)

_“…send me to california, i’m tryna get so lost, not turnin’ up to a 9 to 5, just wanna know why, yeah you know it’s alright, do you know it’s alright?…” Brockhampton: HOME_

i. 

“You should fix that.” 

“I’m sorry?” 

“The faucet, you should get it fixed.” 

The waitress-Mina- pauses, foggy carafe in hand and eyebrows furrowed. “Oh, sorry about that, I guess I’m so used to it I forgot it was even dripping.” 

Jihyo simply offers her a small smile and shakes her head. “It’s no problem, really, I just- I can probably fix it for you right now if you want.” 

“Oh.” Mina blinks because the hour is nearing eleven o’clock and the restaurant is practically dead, save for the nightly regular, tucked away in their designated corner. The woman must be new, Mina thinks, because it’s a pretty small town and she never forgets a face. “I mean, if you really want to.”

“Do you have a wrench or pliers?”

“I think we have a tool box in the break room. No promises though.” 

-

“So do you just go around fixing sinks for people, or…” Mina stands against the rusted wash basin, arms crossed as she stares curiously down at the woman who’s fiddling with the pipes. 

“Ah, no not usually.” A beat passes before an unbearable screeching sound comes from below. “Sorry, can you hand me a towel?” 

“We’ve never had a plumber in here, so, they’re probably a mess.” Mina chuckles, passing down a small hand towel. 

“I can see that.” Jihyo laughs, showing off a bucket full of sludge. Mina scrunches her nose in disgust. 

“I tightened the valve, so it shouldn’t leak anymore, and well, the main drain pipe definitely needed cleaning.” 

“Thanks, I can take it out back if you’re finished with it.” 

-

"You can order whatever you want too, it’s on the house. I'm Mina, by the way. Pleasure to meet you.”

"Jihyo, and the pleasure is all mine."

ii.

It’s a one bedroom apartment with barely functioning utilities, but she supposes it’s the best the supervisors could manage with such short notice. 

Jihyo had never imagined herself staying in such a place, but she’d make the best of it and when it’s over, she hopes her pocket will be a little bit heavier. 

She can hear a television playing the evening news from the floor above her and sighs; looks like she’ll have to invest in a pair of earplugs. 

Not bothering to unpack her suitcase, Jihyo rifles through her mess of clothes before finally locating her sleepwear and trudging tiredly to the bathroom.

The light is yellow and ugly, giving Jihyo reason to justify why she looks so tired. 

-

“You said you’d call when you got in asshole.” 

“Sorry.”

“Whatever, at least you’re not dead.” 

At that, Jihyo has to laugh- leave it to Nayeon. 

“I promise, I won’t be gone long. Just want to make a little of money and then I’ll be back there with you.” 

“Ah don’t rush yourself,” Nayeon hums, “already hired in a new young face, seems to be holding out.” 

“Replacing me already I see.” Jihyo laughs to herself, antsy to hang up. 

“You are coming back, right? I mean, Dahyun and Chae were really sad that you didn’t say goodbye, and well, I dunno, maybe I was a little bummed too.” 

“I’ll be back in the spring, I promise.” 

Jihyo bites the inside of her cheek at the silence she receives until finally Nayeon sighs. 

“Just don’t do anything stupid okay? And call at least every other week I’d rather not have to wait for your name to show up in the news.”

iii. 

The banana cream pie, she finds, is much too sweet for her tastes. The same goes for the key lime pie and the pecan pie, but the pumpkin pie, now that was a dessert she could get behind. 

And right now, she’d kill for a slice.

“You sure you don’t want anything else?” Mina stares on dubiously as Jihyo picks up the fork next to her, cuts off a generous bite and shovels it into her mouth before shaking her head. “I’ll take that as a no.” 

Jihyo finishes her bite before laughing. “Sorry, I was just really craving this, thought about it all day.” 

“You’re a bit odd, you know that Park?” Mina chuckles. 

“Well I came here so.” 

They both laugh because it’s true. 

(When Jihyo had put in a transfer from her last job she wanted the most remote place on Earth, and they delivered.)

“What is it then.” Mina asks, turning the burners back on for another pot of coffee. 

“What.” 

“Why come here.” 

“Work.” Jihyo answers. Short and sweet, because really, she doesn’t even know why she came here. 

“What about you? What are you doing here.”

“Work.” Mina smiles cheekily. 

iv.

Fiddling with the think rope she holds, Jihyo watches silently from the top deck as her coworkers laugh at some poorly made pun. The sun is blazing and the water laps lazily at the sides of the ship- it’s a perfect day to sail. 

“Beautiful day isn’t it?” 

“Yeah, it is.” Jihyo agrees, turning to meet eyes with her captain. 

“Just checked the radar, supposed to get a little rain tonight. We’ll need to cover the life boats and make sure the hatches to the hull are sealed before end of day” 

“Right.” 

“And you fools!” The old man yells, hunched over the rusted railing. “Stop playing around and start working!”

-

Looping and knotting the line tightly, Jihyo waits for her partner to finish as well before simultaneously casting the net into the water. The boats starts moving at a slightly faster pace making intricate trails in its wake.

“You don’t talk much do you.” Matthew asks, hands on his hips as he appraises her from where he stands. He’s a large man, towering over a foot taller than herself, but Jihyo knows he‘s all bark and no bite. 

“Not much to say I guess.” She chuckles, pulling off heavy work gloves to stretch her hands. 

“Mm. Guess we’re similar in that way then.” He smiles widely, waiting for a response. 

She simply nods, chuckling at the goofy behavior. 

(She knows it’s a lie anyway, because Matthew has a lot to say, especially when he’s drunk. But she appreciates the gesture either way.)

v. 

“So what do you do for fun?” 

It’s six o’clock and Jihyo’s never been one for cooking- or at least that’s what she tells herself whenever she decided to forgo fast food and go to the diner instead. Which, with the amount of grease that’s dripping off her burger there’s really not that much difference. 

“Nap?” 

“Be serious.” Mina chuckles, tossing a wadded straw wrapper in her direction. 

“Hey! I am.” Jihyo smiles. “I mean fine. Sometimes, if I’m feeling especially crazy, I’ll watch Jeopardy.” 

“What about you?” Jihyo asks this time, picking through her dwindling mountain of fries. 

“Me?” Mina acts surprised, waiting a moment before answering. “Nap.” 

And maybe there’s something to be said for the way Mina’s eyes crinkle when she laughs (even when it is at her own expense). 

Its effortless, their banter, and it makes Jihyo feel this odd emotion that she can’t quite place. There’s something about the diner that puts her at ease, something about _Mina_ , and she knows that should scare her.

Knows that she never stays for long in one place for a reason. 

vi. 

Taking the scaler tightly in her grasp and pushing the mask up higher on her nose, Jihyo watches as the skin of the fish begins to smoothen. 

“You seem quite skilled at this.” Mina muses. 

Jihyo is practically in awe at how good Mina looks even in the yellowing light of her apartment, and she’s even more in awe at the fact that Mina’s sitting in her kitchen watching her cook dinner for the two of them. 

“Perks of the job I guess.” Jihyo hums, slicing the flesh of the fish in half. “Sorry about the apartment, I just got back and didn’t really have a lot of time to properly tidy up.” 

“It’s alright, I know I called kinda last minute anyway.” Mina stands to look around. “I really like it by the way, it’s cozy.” 

Jihyo can’t help her loud burst of laughter, “You can say it sucks, I won’t be offended.” 

“No, I really like it. I mean sure, the walls could use a fresh coat of paint and your lights are probably about to explode but it’s nice.” 

“Yeah? You think so?” Jihyo finally stops, putting the knife down and toweling off her hands. 

“There’s potential here, I think you’re just too busy to see it.” 

Mina’s facing away from her, absorbed in her small collection of knickknacks on her otherwise barren shelves, and there’s that odd feeling again, festering in her chest- threatening to break through. 

(And she’s scared because she can’t tell Mina she'll be leaving soon, can’t risk losing her when she barely has her.)

vii. 

“I thought you said you were coming back.” Nayeon’s voice cuts harshly against the silence. 

“Yeah, I just- it’s a really good position and they need hands here-“

“You said spring Jihyo.”

“I know what I said.” 

Nayeon pauses. “What’s wrong.” 

“Nothing, I just, it’s the middle of December and there’s still time before my contract ends. I’m just thinking ahead is all.” 

“It’s not just the money though, is it.” 

“Nayeon-“

“No, you need to tell me, just- just _trust_ me.” 

Jihyo closes her eyes and lets out a deep sigh, “I don’t know, I’m just not in such a hurry as I usually am.”

“Do you like it there?” 

“I don’t know,” Jihyo pauses, hoping not to have to say the real reason, “I just- it’s nice. There’s someone I met and she just, we can talk about anything and everything, even when I’m gone for weeks at a time. We can pick up right where we left off and iv’e never had that with someone before.” 

“Besides me right?” Nayeon huffs teasingly enough to earn a chuckle.

“Yeah I guess.” Jihyo rolls over to lie on her side. “I’m supposed to go to the store with her tomorrow and pick out paint colors.” 

“For what?” 

“The apartment.” 

“Oh. Well, let me know when the wedding is okay?” 

viii. 

Maybe she should have prayed more, maybe she should have gotten a real hobby, started a family. Not like any of that matters now because she can barely feel her toes.

It had all happened so quickly, but she should have known something was brewing. 

(It had been calm- eerily so.)

Still, she, nor any of her shipmates could have imagined such a storm. She’s still shaking from the adrenaline coursing through her veins. The water is cold and dark and disorienting and all she wants is for it to end but she also knows that she can’t give up that easily.

The lights from the sinking ship blink helplessly as the vessel falls further into the choppy waters and thunder rumbles across the sky.

All she can think about is Matthew and the family he’s left behind, of her captain’s constant frown, of Sooyoung’s and Yeri’s ridiculous antics- and _god_ , Mina. 

A particularly hard wave surges over her, pushing her down into the depths of the water before she is able to resurface, gasping for air. 

She doesn’t know what time it is, but she knows that no one would be able to find them for at least two days. 

And she’s so cold and so tired-

(But if she closes her eyes and thinks about the diner and pumpkin pie and that _damn_ smile she feels warm.)

ix.

“You should get a dog.” 

“Why?” Jihyo laughs, threading a hand carefully through dark locks. 

“They’re so cute.” Mina pulls the blanket closer to cover them.

“I guess, but I’m not home enough to take care of one properly. Besides, this place is way too small for anything else expect me.” 

Some series is playing in the background, stuck on an episode they both had waited to watch until they were together. Neither are paying enough attention though, and so it’s their third attempt at restarting the episode. 

“I guess that means we just have to buy a house then.” Mina hums, as if seriously considering the idea. 

“Yeah? You would move?” Jihyo looks down to where Mina is cuddled into her side.

“I mean I’ve thought about it a lot before.” Mina nods. “I can’t stay here forever, and when I do decide to settle I don’t want it to be here.” 

She almost asks, almost gives in to the hope she feels within but stops before she gets ahead of both of them because they have time. Because Jihyo doesn’t want to rush whatever it is they have going on. 

Because she’s the warmest she’s ever felt, and for now, that will do. 


End file.
